Matrox® Video Products Group today announced Matrox CompressHDTM, the first implementation of Matrox MAXTM technology in an H.264 accelerator card for Windows, priced at just $495 US. Matrox MAX technology uses a dedicated hardware processor to accelerate the creation of H.264 files for mobile devices, the web and Blu-ray discs. By using specialized hardware acceleration, jobs are finished with amazing speed and system resources are liberated for other tasks. Matrox CompressHD works in systems with or without a video I/O device. Ease of use is ensured through direct integration with Adobe® Media Encoder software on the PC.

"With the industry move to HD, productivity in the creative workflow has never been more important to Adobe Creative Suite® 4 Production Premium users," said Giles Baker, group product manager, Editing Workflows at Adobe. "Along with the many built-in productivity features and time-saving capabilities of Adobe's integrated video production toolset, the Matrox CompressHD card will enable users to more quickly deliver engaging interactive experiences to audiences across platforms and devices."

"Saving time on mundane encoding tasks is a tremendous advantage for content creators, said Lorne Trottier, president of Matrox. "Matrox CompressHD provides the ultimate in speed and workflow efficiency when it comes to producing H.264 files. For example, encoding a 20 minute DVCPRO HD 720p project to a Flash file for delivery on a mobile device or the web typically takes close to two hours on a quad-core PC. That same project can be encoded in less than 20 minutes using the Matrox MAX technology."

Key features of Matrox CompressHD for Windows

Faster than realtime creation of H.264 files, for resolutions ranging from iPod to HD, using Matrox MAX technology

Low profile, half-length PCIe x1 card

Works in systems with or without an I/O device

Three-year hardware warranty and complimentary telephone support

Key features of Matrox MAX technology

Faster than realtime creation of H.264 files, for resolutions ranging from iPod to HD, at bitrates up to 50 Mbps

A specialized, dedicated hardware processor liberates system resources for other tasks

Direct integration with Adobe Media Encoder on the PC to simplify workflow

Creation of Blu-ray H.264 files that can be authored in Adobe Encore® CS4 then burned without re-encoding

Price and availabilityPriced at $495 US (£375, €449) not including local taxes, Matrox CompressHD with PC drivers will be available in the summer of 2009 through a worldwide network of authorized dealers.

About MatroxMatrox Video Products Group is a technology and market leader in the field of HD and SD digital video hardware and software for realtime editing, audio/video input/output, DVD/Blu-ray authoring, capture/playout servers, clip/still stores, and CGs. Matrox's Emmy award-winning technology powers a full range of content creation and delivery platforms used by broadcasters, post-production facilities, project studios, corporate communicators, and videographers worldwide. Founded in 1976, Matrox is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. For more information visit www.matrox.com/video1.